Akky's Travels

10 of July till 16th. A week in the Damanhur community 40ks west of Turin-Italy.
I heard about Damanhur around 1990. A group of people inspired by Oberto Airaudi, who is an Alchemist, had build the 'Temples of Humankind' in the rocks under ground. A spectacular piece of art in different levels with labyrinths, different rooms with stained glass, sculptured walls and figures, paintings with sacred geometry etc. etc. This group is involved with research into cutting-edge therapeutic techniques, the Arts and New Sciences.
The community has around 1000 citizens, having their own currency, a mystery school, sustainable energy, prema-culture projects and connections all over the world.
Have a look at www.damanhur.org and another interesting project on www.quadriselfici.it

I did a course here called "What's your tree"developed by Julia Butterfly Hill, the young woman who lived in a tree for 736 days and with that action she prevented the forest to be destroyed by the big companies. Google her name.

The purpose of this course is finding your true purpose in life, your own Tree. We were a little group, only 4 and I was the youngest!
A couple from Israel, she born in Finland and he in Iraq, both Jewish. And John from Scotland, who is one of the leading persons in Findhorn community.
The course was led by Quaglia del mare (all the Damanhurians get an animal name and later they also get a plant name), a young woman originally from Taiwan. She was great in holding us on track and leading us to our purpose. It was good experience.
We have visited many parts of the community: The Sacred Woods, The Temples of Humankind, several Nuclio's (community-family houses each with their own work field), we worked on the land, shared meals with them, did an sculpture art class, a pizza competition and lots of other fun and interesting things.
I met wonderful, amazing people from all over the world and this was only the beginning.

The beauty of Italy is of course the nature, the old history and its people. Their liveliness, the way they dress, theirs sense for beauty and the food. All very precious.
Men and women are dressed after the latest fashion even in the mountain villages, they walk on high heels, wearing make-up, have manicured nails (incl some men).

And yesterday I left with the local taxi driver to the airport, very well dressed, shaved and bathed in after-shave. he explained me that there are countries which are intelligent, beautiful, clever and stupid. According to him Italy is a stupid country and New Zealand a clever one.
Have a look at some photo's. The ones from the Temples I will put in next time.

So, yesterday arrived in Montecastello de Vibio, Umbria. Here I will do the 3 week art class: landscape painting, live oil painting and sculpture. All 3 teachers came from the US. The township is most unique. An ancient, medieval village with its 250 inhabitants, 3 churches (one is called 'Uliminati". I had my coffee this morning in the local cafe and was introduced to some of the people. More info about this adventure will come next week.